Abstract

In an erea where adolescents are perceived to equal opportunity and human rights; parents s and different stakeholders are continually making adjust in environment in order  to modify adolescents behaviour . Consequently, the accommodation needed by adolescents to help remediate the difficult experienced may not be effectivly provided. This research attempt to explored environmental influence on conduct behavioural disorder. Specifically, it investigates parental style, home discipline and relationship with siblings as major factors that enhances conduct behavioural disorder in Buea municipality.

Perceptions of conduct behavioural disorder  among  adolescents   in the Buea Municipality were identified in this study through the replication of   (Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G. V., & Pastorelli, C. (2001). Many misconceptions were also identified based on Biological  view. how biological factors can determine conduct behavioural disorder among adolescents. But very few researcher have border to look in to environmental influence as a determinant of conduct behavioural disorder among adolescents.

Descriptive analysis revealed that the mean questionnaire score was lower than 48 points, which was the score hypothesized to be indicative of accurate awareness considerable knowledge about environmental influence on conduct behavioural disorder among adolescents. In spite of this, further analysis revealed that conduct behavioural disorder is influence by it environment in Buea Municipality.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the studies

Historical background

Juvenile delinquency has become a significant global problem. Conduct  behavioural disorder (CBD), among other psychiatric disorders, has assumed prominence in its association with juvenile offending as well as criminality in adulthood. Despite this knowledge, little attention is given to this problem especially as it affects adjudicated adolescent offenders in developing countries. linked Tavakolizadeh, (1996) estimated the validity of the test to be 93%. In the current research, the validity co efficients of measuring conduct behavioural disorder using alpha Kronbakh criteria was 87%  in (2001), .

Conducts disorder became established as a medical diagnosis  in (1968) in the world  .   Today they are one of the most frequent reasons why adolescence are referred to a mental health clinic. Conduct disorders impact upon the emotional wellbeing of the individual, their social and family relationships, and their academic success at school and their future wellbeing as adults in society The literature is based around the main contributors to the historical development of conduct disorder. The early history draws (1880) on the writings of Lombroso, Aichhorn, Healy and Burt, the middle period on Bandura, Patterson, Robbins and the contemporary research of Burke, Frick, Maughan, Mofitt, Ogden, Nordahl, and Rutter among many others.. This thesis has identified three distinct periods in the history of conduct behavioural disorders. The first period begins in (1880) where the origins of conduct behavioural disorder lies within the social and legal problem of delinquency. This period is characterized by the initial recognition of delinquency and antisocial behaviour as a medical and educational problem. In the second period from (1910) until (1968) there was increased research interest in conduct problems of children as researchers attempted to identify the causes of inappropriate behaviours. This culminated with the first categorisation of Conduct behavioural Disorder as an official category in (1968). Thus the final period begins in (1968) and is marked by a rapid accumulation in the knowledge around conduct  behavioural disorders and an increasingly holistic perception of the cause and treatment of conduct disorder, taking into account the individuals interaction with the home environment .Home envroment has been neglected  as  one of major cause of conduct disorder among adolscents in our contemporary society. In the last 30 years, two key frameworks in the contemporary understanding of conduct disorders have emerged. Uri Brofenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory has contributed to insight into the role of different environmental systems in development and maintenance of conduct disorders. The historical perspective demonstrates that theoretical explanations are critical to not only explaining the causes of conduct behavioural disorders, but also the treatment and interventions in the medical, educational and justice system. Historically, treatments of conduct disorder have drawn upon psychoanalysis, individual psychotherapy, and behaviour and cognitive orientated interventions. Today the most successful treatment draws upon a variety of theoretical backgrounds and the historical developments and understanding of conduct disorder. The historical perspective demonstrates that theoretical explanations are critical to not only explaining the cause of conduct disorders, but also the treatment and interventions in the medical, educational and justice system. Historically, treatments of conduct disorder have drawn upon psychoanalysis, individual psychotherapy, and behaviour and cognitive orientated interventions.  Unlike Africa context almost 80% of conducts disorder children are from developing countries . these youth constitude of two third of world population Kieling et al( 2011). Like the case of   South Africa of about 50million population has 30% of children with conduct disorder UNDES(2012)  poverty expose adolescents to crimes Petersen et al (2013) . the lack of home discipline due to single parents and broken home leads to negative mental health which have negative consequence on children; Chtlga-masbugu et al 2013

Theoretical background

Many theories have been proposed over the years to explain the developmental changes that people undergo over the course of their lives. These theories differ in the conceptions of human perception over condut  behavioral disorder,  they adopt  what they regard to be the basic causes and mechanisms of human motivation and behavior. The present chapter analyzes human development from the perspective of social cognitive theory  of (Bandura, 1986).In the past  30 years Uri Brofenbrenner ecological system theory has contributed in sighting the role of different  environment in the development and maintenance of conducts  behavioural disorder. According to Uri Brofenbrenner  ecological theory , developmental psychopathology has helped to understand how  Biological , cognitive and home environmental factors can increase the conducts behavioral disorder. According Albert Bandura social cognitive  theory of children development  segment of reciprocal causation is concerned with the  interactive  relation between  personal characteristics and home   environmental influences. Human expectations, beliefs, emotional bents and cognitive competencies are developed and modified by social influences that  convey information and activate emotional reactions through modeling, instruction and social persuasion (Bandura,( 1986).With the  influence of conduct behavioural disorder and home environmental circumstances, people are both products and producers of their home environment. They affect the nature of their experienced  in environment through selection and creation of situations. People tend to select activities and associates from the vast range of possibilities in terms of their acquired preferences and competencies (Bandura & Walters, (1959); Bullock & Merrill, (1980); Emmons &Diener, (1986). Through their actions, people create as well as select environments.  Aggressive  persons  produce hostile environments wherever they go, whereas those who act in a more friendly manner generate an amiable social milieu (Raush, (1965).

Conceptual  background

Many writers  have publish  over the years to explain the developmental changes that people undergo over the course of their lives. These writers differ in the conceptions of human perception  on what they regard to be the basic causes and mechanisms of human motivation and behaviour. The present chapter analyzes human development from the perspective of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986). According  to (Greenough Black, Wallace, (1987) sensory structure system and  brain structures  couple with experiences and  major causes  of conduct behavioural  disorder.  Also (Bandura,1986) argued that people evoke different reaction from social environment  by their physical characteristics such as their age, size race, sex  and physical attractiveness quite different from what they say and do . (Lerner, 1982). He supported  that People similarly activate different social reactions depending on their socially confer roles and status. For example, children who have a reputation as tough aggressors will elicit different reactions from their peers than those reputed to be unassertive. Thus, by their social status and observable characteristics, people can be  affected through social environment before they say or do anything. The social reactions  elicite effect on recipients’ conception  and others in a ways that it  either strengthen or alter the environmental (Snyde 1981) . Today Most  people  agree that  home environment is an important component to the well-being of a child, especially in his/her early years. Several of these environmental factors can alter a child’s perspective on life and how he/she deals with and works through difficulties encountered. Research shows that home environmental factors such as home discipline , parental style  and relationship with siblings  in children,  play the largest role in negative outcomes (CDC, 2013). (Jimenez, Wade, Jr.,  Morrow, & Reichman, 2016). Stressful childhood experiences including child abuse and family context can have a role of people diagnosed with serious conducts behavioral disorder often with associated parental neglect, and sexual abuse.

Conduct behavioural Disorder: Conduct disorder refers to childhood and adolescence violation of social norms, rules, Rights of others, and frequently violation of behavioral pattern. Children with this disease are cruel, impulsive, can be described as aggressive and uncontrol. Conduct disorder is sort of antisocial behaviours as, bullying in general, theft, vandalism and cruelty. Research Has explored that home environment  has individual differences in the methods of Parental supervision correlates with antisocial behavior among boys (Patterson & Stouthamer-Loeber, 1984). Parental monitoring has a direct effect (Patterson & Dishion, 1985), has an indirect effect on delinquent behavior and poor parental supervision, has emerged as an important factor in whether children start deviating peer networks or peers with delinquent behavior (Dishion et al., 1991). Previous researches on home environment base on clinical observations and case studies Found that parents with conduct disordered children often fail to monitor, track, and fail to Set rules about the behavior and activities of their children. (Glueck and Glueck, 1950; Hirschi, 1969; Patterson, 1982).Researches (Crouter and Head, 2002; Dishion and mcmahon 1998; Sampson and Laub, 1994) explored a consistent relationship between parents and  adolescents and youth behavioral problems. Inadequate parent tracking has also been identified as the best forecaster of youngsters anti-social actions comparison to other Parent behavior(Loeber and Dishion, 1983; Loeber and Stouthamer-Loeber, 1984). Another study by Kelso (1986) found that adolescents have more symptoms, the greater the Likelihood, conduct behavioral disorder will continue. Among the factors that predict the number of symptoms was persistent symptoms of antisocial or aggressive, including the shooting Put an early age from the beginning, and abnormal family. In-depth study on African American sample was done and research analysis predicted that weak parental discipline and parental monitoring in the age of 4 ½ was reliable independent predictors for behaviour Problems for boys and girls. Parental monitoring was mediated by parental control.  Adolescents behaviour problems was later on,  choosing  schools with high-risk children and Parents household mediated by the parents  discipline and control. (Kilgore, Kim; Snyder, James; Lentz, Chris, 2000). Factors associated with risk behaviour of adolescents are essential for developing effective prevention Strategies.

Parenting style: Parental monitoring has a broad theoretical background for making psychological concepts as behavioral problems and sociological as “juvenile delinquency” (Loeber and Dishion, 1983 and Patterson, 1982). Parental monitoring is defined as a set of attributes and behaviors, Parental involvement in the care and supervision of the actions of children, their behaviors, Fate, activities, and adaptations  (Dishion & mcmahon, 1998). The term “Parental monitoring”, commonly defined as tendency of antisocial children’s parents watch or not to supervise the activities of children (Patterson, 1982)

Siblings relationship: Siblings are a fixture in the family lives of children and adolescents, and a body of work documents their role in one another’s everyday experiences as companions, confidantes, combatants, and as the focus of social comparisons. Research on sibling relationships has been aimed at identifying factors that explain these and other social dynamics between siblings and at examining the role of sibling experiences in youth development and well-being. From this work we know that sibling relationships are shaped by factors ranging from child characteristics to cultural norms and values. We also know that siblings can have direct effects on one another’s development when they serve as social partners, role models, and foils and that siblings can influence one another indirectly by virtue of their impact on larger family dynamics such as by serving as building blocks of the family structure, holding a favored family niche, or diluting family resources (mchale, Kim, & Whiteman, 2006).

Contextual Background

This study is carried out in Cameroon  south west  region ,the south west region is made up of six  division and Buea is the capital of south West region under Fako division.  The threat to the conducts behavioural disorder  from the progressive deterioration of  home environment has emerged as a center issue in Cameroon society among adolescents especially in Buea municipality  . Accelerated  rapid urbanization, the pattern of increase of development of modern agricultural and transportation techniques, and rising standards of living have not only contributed to modify the ecological balance of Buea Municipality on which the quality of the environment depends, but present great threats to human survival, as adolescents with conducts behavioural disorder acts as a threat to the lives of people living in some communities.

Factors associated with risk behavior of adolescents are essential for developing effective prevention strategies. Some risk factors were identified, from home environment which include parental style , home discipline , and relationship with siblings. but no studies  have been carried out to seek for solution of home environment as a determinant factor of conducts behavioural disorder in Buea municipality.

Statement of the problem.

Many adolescents in Cameroon often exhibit conduct behavioural maladjustment, because of the relative neglect of home environment  as a determinant factor of conduct behavioural disorder. To this effects, adolescents turn to exhibit disruptive behaviour which include drugs abuse, stealing, gambling, sexual harassment, vandalism, bullying, violation of right of others. This is attributed to environmental effects which is characterize by permissive home discipline, poor relationship with siblings and poor parental style. This has ignited this research to investigate how home environment  is a determinant factor of conduct behavioural disorder in adolescents in Buea municipality.

Research objectives

Main objectives

The objective addressed in the study include the follow:

To examine the extent to which the home environment influence conducts behavioural disorder among adolescents in Buea municipality.

specific objective

1. To fine out the extent to which Parenting style influence conducts behaviourtal disorder in adolescent.
2. To examine the extent to which relationship with sibling’s influence conduct behavioural disorder in adolescents.
3. To find out to what extent home discipline influence conducts behavioural in adolescents.

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